Tension device



March 24, 1936. A. A. ARNOLD TENSION DEVICE Filed July 23, 1935vxNvEN-ron Patented Mar. 24, 1936 UNITE STATES PATE QFFICE TENSIONDEVICE Arthur A. Arnold, Pottstown, Pa., assignor of onehalf to HarrySarfert, Philadelphia, Pa.

The present invention relates to thread spinning or throwing mechanismand more particularly to a novel device for maintaining a desirabletension upon threads.

Tension devices of the character to which this invention relates haveheretofore generally consisted of a spiral wound wire having a verticallength about which the thread is looped and two ends, one of which isseated in a hole in the wooden mounting rail and the other of which ismade fast by a screw entering such rail. Since it is necessary to removeand replace these tension devices in order that different kinds ofthread may be worked, or for different twisting of threads, the holes inthe rail become worn and enlarged. The result is the tension devicesWork loose, the tension varies, and much trouble develops inconsequence.

Some of the objects of the present invention are to provide an entirelynew and efficient tension device and mounting therefor; to provide atension member wherein friction of the moving thread is reduced to aminimum; to provide a tension member wherein variation in the threadtension can be made while the thread is feeding; to provide a mountingfor a tension device which becomes a iiXed permanent attachment to thetension support rail; to provide a tension mounting wherein provision ismade for changing from one tension device to another without removingthe mounting from the part to which it is attached; to provide a novelremovable and replaceable tension mechanism; and to provide otherimprovements as will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 represents a perspective of a portionof a thread spinning machine equipped with a tension device embodyingone form of the present invention; Fig. 2 represents a perspective ofthe base or support of the tension device; Fig. 3 represents a sectionon line 3 3 of Fig. 2,' Fig. l represents a section on line @-4 of Fig.2; Fig. 5 represents a plan of one form of tension device particularlyfor left hand twisting; Fig. 6 represents a front elevation of thetension device ci Fig. 5 connected tothe base or mounting; Fig. 7represents a front elevation of the form of tension device, for risewith right hand twisting, connected to the novel base or mounting; andFig. 8 represents a plan of the base or mounting used as a support for athread guide of ordinary construction.

Referring to the drawing one form of the present invention consists of abase I arranged to support and hold a tension member H for use where thethread twist is to the left, or a tension member l2 for use where thethread twist is to the right, or a centering guide I3 for a straight runof thread. The base H9 in the rpreferred form comprises a substantiallycube-shaped body lli having flanges i projecting from two opposite sidesto provide suitable areas for holes' IB through which screws I1 or likefastening can be passed to permanently secure the base I0 in its properposition upon the rail I8 of the twisting machine. It is to beunderstood that one such base I0 is fixed to the rail opposite eachtake-up roll 2S. The body I4 is provided with a through bore 2iextending from one side thereof to the other and having its ends openingrespectively into two face grooves 22 and 23. Each of these groovesextends from the iront of the body lli to a point beyond where the bore2i is met, and the size of each groove is such as to snugly receive andseat the supporting leg of the complemental tension device. A socket 24is bored into the body lli from the front and intercepts the bore 2l ata point coincident with a threaded hole 25, so that a set screw 26becomes a common fastening means for any one of three different devicesused one at a time.

The tension member l l consists of a wire having one end in the form ofa straight leg 21 and the other end in the form of a free end half loop23, While the intermediate portion is in the form of a downwardlytapering spiral 3D. The leg 2l is turned in the direction such that whenit is within the bore 2l the wire seats in the groove 22. Theconvolution of largest diameter joins the leg 2l by a length 3| and thesuccessively smaller convolutions extend downwardly Well below the planeof the leg 21 to ultimately form a guide loop 32 from which the threadreceiving shank 33 rises in reverse direction. Preferably the shank 33extends upwardly through the spiral 36 and at an angle to its axis sothat the thread 29 enters and leaves the tension device at points out ofdirect alinement. This angular inclination of the shank 33 to thedirection of thread feed permits the thread to ride back and forth asthe tension varies so that the thread has less frictional wear than whenfeeding about a Wire which coincides in direction with the direction ofthread feed. Furthermore since the half loop 28 terminates in a free endit is possible to change the number of Wraps about the shank 33 at will,While the machine is in operation. The tension member l2 is formed justthe reverse from the member Il but embodies all of the novel features ofconstruction described in connection with the member Il. Its leg 34therefore turns in the direction to enter the bore 2| from the sidenecessary to seat the wire in the groove 23. 'Ihe shank 35 is inclinedwith respect to the direction of travel of the thread for the purposeabove described. Repetition of the description as to the spiral andother'details are believed unnecessary.

In Fig. 8 the base ID is shown receiving and supporting a centeringguide 36 of usual shape, which is held in place by the same set screw\26 used for holding a'tension device when such described my invention,I

to hold said wire end in said bore, and means to fasten said body to axed part of a thread spinning machine.

2. A base support for a tension device consisting of a body having abore therethrough and two grooves respectively at opposite sides of saidbody communicating with said bore, said grooves lying in a horizontalplane intercepting said bore, means to hold one end of either of twotension wires in said bore whether the Wire is in one or the other ofsaid grooves, and means to fasten said body to a xed part of a threadspinning machine.

3. A base support for a tension device consisting of a body having abore therethrough, two grooves respectively at opposite sides of saidbody communicating with said bore, and a hole communicating with saidbore, said grooves lying. in a horizontal plane intercepting said bore,said bore and one groove serving to seat antension wire, and said holeserving to seat a thread guide, a fastening means arranged to clamp awire in either said bore or hole, and means to fasten said body to a Xedpart of a thread spinning machine.

ARTHUR A. ARNOLD.

